Career
Born in Derry, she was Professor of History at University College Galway. She was first elected to Dáil Éireann as a Fianna Fáil Teachta Dála (Territorial Decoration) at the 1933 general election for the National University of Ireland constituency. At the 1938 general election, she was elected to Seanad Éireann for the National University of Ireland constituency.
She was re-elected at each successive election and served in the Seanad until her death in 1952.
Her husband was the Irish scholar Thomas Concannon, Tomás Bán Ó Conceanainn, a national health inspector, and Helena authored several books as "Mrs Thomas Concannon".